The present invention relates generally to electrical connectors and more particularly to a connector device with a movable internal plunger and movable electrical contacts which mate with contact pins or striker points and method for using the same.
In specific applications electrical contact mating may be needed or desired at a series of linear positions along the axis of the connector using a same set of electrical contacts. While conventional connector designs may provide mating of electrical contacts at multiple linear positions, at least the initial mating contact may comprise undesirable impact upon the male contact pins and corresponding female contacts. Conventional designs may comprise a detent mechanism, which restrains the spring loaded electrical contacts of a connector in a non-contact position until the detent mechanism is released. Much like releasing the string of a cross bow, once released the movement of the electrical contacts forward is uncontrolled, governed by the stored energy. Conventional designs may yield striking forces of twelve to eighteen pounds upon detent release. Conventional detent mechanisms can be difficult to manually release, requiring significant and ergonomically challenging forces to release the mechanism.
It would be desirable to provide a method of limiting the initial contact forces, while also providing ease of use in field applications. Visual verification of electrical contact to contact pin mating may not be possible in field applications with, for example, the contact pins being recessed in a narrow opening. The amount of potential energy needed to carry the loaded electrical contacts from a disengaged position to an axially forward electrical contact position may be significant. This stored energy may conventionally yield commensurate impact forces, which are undesirable. While large stored energy forces and release of the same in conventional connectors may provide reliable forward movement of the electrical contacts under loaded field conditions, the resulting impact may compromise contact integrity and reliability with repeated application.